NationStates Jolt Archive

I've got about three months before I go off to uni so mum thought I should probably learn to cook some stuff for myself. We tried to make chicken curry today, but for some reason it didn't turn out the way it did on the box.

We did pretty much what the box told us to except some minor alterations to the recipe. We didn't add any onions or carrots but everything else that was required (water, chicken, potatoes, oil, salt, ground pepper, curry powder) was in there.

This is the one that we made. It's a bit dry, I didn't expect the potatoes to drain all the water.

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/8925/curry1pl2.jpg

And this is what the boxes look like.

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/7690/curry2nv2.jpg

I'm pretty sure we used enough curry powder so perhaps the problem is oil? We did use enough oil it seemed (3 tablespoons) but all the curry flavouring drained into the potatoes as opposed to more saucy type pictured on the box.

What am I doing wrong? Please help? :confused:

Water, you really needed more water. Also, remember that you are SIMMERING the veggies in said water for 20 minutes or so BEFORE adding the mix, not BOILING the water.

Water, you really needed more water. Also, remember that you are SIMMERING the veggies in said water for 20 minutes or so BEFORE adding the mix, not BOILING the water.

So it's more like a soup?

So it's more like a soup?
Yes. Not TOO soupy now, but you want enough water in it to soften the veggies and so that the pot doesn't boil dry. When you finally add in the curry mix, it should stiffen up to act like a semi-thick gravy (Depending on how you like your curry of course).

Yes. Not TOO soupy now, but you want enough water in it to soften the veggies and so that the pot doesn't boil dry. When you finally add in the curry mix, it should stiffen up to act like a semi-thick gravy (Depending on how you like your curry of course).

Okay, thank you. :)

And another question, when I add the curry powder should it be in powder form going directly into the pot or should I make it into a sauce and then pour it onto the vegetables/chicken?

I think a lot of the problem is that we add the curry too early and so it drains into the potatoes. =\

Okay, thank you. :)

And another question, when I add the curry powder should it be in powder form going directly into the pot or should I make it into a sauce and then pour it onto the vegetables/chicken?

I think a lot of the problem is that we add the curry too early and so it drains into the potatoes. =\
I, personally, add it in the pot directly and keep stirring for 5 minutes until the mix dissolves and the curry thickens a bit, then take it off and serve. My wife has a difference of opinion, but she would never, ever use a curry mix and I still don't know how she makes the curry that she does.

Outside of being in charge of the BBQ I can do Curry right. Took me a bit of practice but everyone loves when I cook it.

You will never make curry at university. It just won't happen.

What I would suggest is to ask your mother to randomly select three seemingly unconnected foods and then see if you can make something edible out of it.

For example.

Rice
Oxo Cubes
Marmite.

This is pretty much all that will be in your kitchen aside from old kebab wrappings, 2 litre bottles with the bottom cut off and foil over the top and a pair of chopsticks.

You don't believe me now but this is all true.

Okay, thank you. :)

And another question, when I add the curry powder should it be in powder form going directly into the pot or should I make it into a sauce and then pour it onto the vegetables/chicken?

I make the sauce as you say it separate.

I think a lot of the problem is that we add the curry too early and so it drains into the potatoes. =\
Possibly.

I've never tried that brand, although I see it a lot. You should try making your own curry--it's really fairly simple and so delicious, and it lasts for days. I like making mild Thai coconut curry. Personally, I find it easier to steam the veggies I'm going to use, saute onions and mix the spices together (I like to use the spices in curry rather than curry powder), then add coconut milk and bring to a boil before adding the cooked veggies and simmering until the sauce is thick. I make the rice separately and ladle the curried veggies over it.

I've got about three months before I go off to uni so mum thought I should probably learn to cook some stuff for myself. We tried to make chicken curry today, but for some reason it didn't turn out the way it did on the box.

We did pretty much what the box told us to except some minor alterations to the recipe. We didn't add any onions or carrots but everything else that was required (water, chicken, potatoes, oil, salt, ground pepper, curry powder) was in there.

I think I found your problem. You're trying to make good curry out of stuff that comes in a box.

I agree with the others: just make your own from a recipe. :D

Curry doesn't come in a box.

Take a large spanish onion and chop it up, an inch long piece of ginger, and a couple of peeled and chopped cloves of garlic and put them in a blender and whizz them to a paste, maybe adding a little water as needed. In a saucepan heat some oil and add half a dozen cloves, same number of green cardamons, a two inch long stick of cinnamon and a couple of bay leaves. Chick in some diced chicken and when it has changed colour evenly add the onion paste. Once it just begins the boil turn down the heat so it cooks slowly. Add a teaspoon of ground cumin, one of ground coriander, one of garam massala, one of ground turmeric, one of salt, half a teaspoon of chili powder. Stir occassionally to stop it catching. Add a squeeze of tomato paste. After half an hour the sauce should be brown and the cooking oil will start to separate out slightly. You can add some wilted spinach at this stage. Just before serving add some chopped coriander leaves. Serve with boiled rice or naan bread.

Boxes indeed....

Curry doesn't come in box.

Take a large spanish onion and chop it up, an inch long piece of ginger, and a couple of peeled and chopped cloves of garlic and put them in a blender and whizz them to a paste, maybe adding a little water as needed. In a saucepan heat some oil and add half a dozen cloves, same number of green cardamons, a two inch long stick of cinnamon and a couple of bay leaves. Chick in some diced chicken and when it has changed colour evenly add the onion paste. Once it just begins the boil turn down the heat so it cooks slowly. Add a teaspoon of ground cumin, one of ground coriander, one of garam massala, one of ground turmeric, one of salt, half a teaspoon of chili powder. Stir occassionally to stop it catching. Add a squeeze of tomato paste. After half an hour the sauce should be brown and the cooking oil will start to separate out slightly. You can add some wilted spinach at this stage. Just before serving add some chopped coriander leaves. Serve with boiled rice or naan bread.

Boxes indeed....

Thank you - it's 10am here and all I want is your chicken curry - it sounds delicious. :)

It's not a real curry unless there is more chilli/spices than chunky things in it!

I agree with Barringtonia though... Get 3 unconnected items and make something edible. (extras points if it has nutritional value)
I have survived a week before with only these items:
3 tins of baked beans
bottle of soy sauce
bag of rice
loaf and a half of bread
the bits of vegemite that you can scrape from the 'corner' of the jar
a couple of slightly old eggs
2 old frozen sausages

Now, from the above I can easily make 5 unique and tasty meals that cover each food group!

Sainsbury's basic noodles. 60 seconds in a microwave. 7p a packet.

Sorted.

There is a very easy, foolproof way to make curry:

1. Fry chicken;
2. Remove from cupboard one jar of curry sauce;
3. Pour over chicken;
4. Simmer for a few minutes;
5. Eat.

Hope this helps!

I recommend a book called the Curry Secret by Kris Dhillon - it is very cheap but very good. Essentially how to make curries that taste like the restaurant ones.

My mother also bought me a book to go to university with - Dinner Parties on a Budget - I don't know how she deluded herself into thinking I might lead a student life of dinner parties, perhaps featuring witty repartee over discussions of deep philosophy and physics, or even work out where the oven is - if it didn't fit inside a toaster, or if it involved anything more than adding milk or boiling water then it wasn't worth eating as far as I was concerned.

Mothers, you have to to love them because they always think the best of you.

Had one for dinner tonight about half an hour ago, not bad considering an earlier attempt I did about a week ago it was Rogan Josh if anyone is wondering.

Ensure that you have a low heat when cooking so that it simmers while it cooks this will prevent it drying out, also cover the pot with a lid, as the steam rises, it condenses on the inside of the lid, and falls back into the pot thus keeping the mixture moist. You can also add some water during the cooking stage if it gets to dry.

I've got about three months before I go off to uni so mum thought I should probably learn to cook some stuff for myself. We tried to make chicken curry today, but for some reason it didn't turn out the way it did on the box.

We did pretty much what the box told us to except some minor alterations to the recipe. We didn't add any onions or carrots but everything else that was required (water, chicken, potatoes, oil, salt, ground pepper, curry powder) was in there.

This is the one that we made. It's a bit dry, I didn't expect the potatoes to drain all the water.

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/8925/curry1pl2.jpg

And this is what the boxes look like.

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/7690/curry2nv2.jpg

I'm pretty sure we used enough curry powder so perhaps the problem is oil? We did use enough oil it seemed (3 tablespoons) but all the curry flavouring drained into the potatoes as opposed to more saucy type pictured on the box.

What am I doing wrong? Please help? :confused:



The problem is that you are cooking curry out of a box!

Curry is easy man. First of get your spices, your pan, an your oil.

Heat the oil in the pan for a few mins, tip in your spices, and fry them out for 2-5 mins. Tip in you meat, turn up the heat and make sure that all the meat gets some colour, tip in a tin of tomatoes and your soft veg turntheheat down to simmer, wait 5 min, wack on the lid and cook for 30-45mins.

Potatoes, boil them in a seperate pan for about 7 mins then wack them in with the rest to simmer.

The tin of toms should contain enough water, but if youwant more, run some into the tin, about a 1/4 full and tip that in.

Ohh and curry without onions, what are you thinking?

Did you actually eat that?:p

The lack of tomato sauce is quite obvious I think:rolleyes:

Wait, wait, wait, am I the only one that realizes he thinks it's bad because it doesn't look like the box? Does anything come out looking like it does on the box? That's all advertising crap, plus, I think the stuff on your box is artwork - not even fake food.

Wait, wait, wait, am I the only one that realizes he thinks it's bad because it doesn't look like the box? Does anything come out looking like it does on the box? That's all advertising crap, plus, I think the stuff on your box is artwork - not even fake food.

The curse of "serving suggestions".

You will never make curry at university. It just won't happen.
Pish and nonsense!

I have curries regularly, along with stir-fries, casseroles, bakes, and other delicious dishes. Last night our flat made a roast chicken dinner (though, being a vegetarian, I didn't partake) with sweet potato mash, roast vegetables and home-made gravy.

And let's not forget baking! Bread, cakes, biscuits, all made from scratch.

Rambhutan speaks the truth:

Curry doesn't come in box.
His recipe is a good one, and the start of it is a good base for many curries.

You should be able to get your hands on a student cookbook; easy meals that impress. Get it before you go away to Uni and have a go at a number of the recipes to get that cookin fever.

I find cooking (not from a packet) to be a really rewarding activity. Plus, it's a lot healthier.

What am I doing wrong? Please help? :confused:

Making meals from boxes. Yes, I know I've arrived late in the thread and it has been said before.

You could just get a good takeaway from a nearby restaurant.
with nan bread, yum foood, i long for proper food.

I can't believe your making curry out of a kit.

Yeeech.

What the heck is curry, and why is it so popular?

Sainsbury's basic noodles. 60 seconds in a microwave. 7p a packet.

Sorted.

I relied on Sainsbury's for food almost everyday when I was in Cambridge, UK last year, but the problem is there are none in the states so we have to go to walmart. :(

You should be able to get your hands on a student cookbook; easy meals that impress. Get it before you go away to Uni and have a go at a number of the recipes to get that cookin fever.


Heh, I might even become popular when all the kids get tired of eating cafeteria food. XD

You could just get a good takeaway from a nearby restaurant.
with nan bread, yum foood, i long for proper food.

Yeah but take away is expensive, and I live in a relatively small town with only one indian restaurant and they don't open past 3 in the afternoon, I think.

What the heck is curry, and why is it so popular?

Curry is an assortment of dishes using spices from the Indies region. It is very popular in places such as India, southeast asia, and the middle east. It is also Britain's national dish, where I picked it up from. :)

What the heck is curry, and why is it so popular?
You have not lived (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry).

What the heck is curry, and why is it so popular?

you...don't know what curry is?
It's like a spicy sort of sauce stuff with Chicken (or other type of meat, however i guess you can have a veg option?), very good with some beer to wash it down (it calms the fire in the mouth).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry

You have not lived (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry).

Ah, ok. I've heard of curry before then. I'm not a fan of Asian food in general, but curry might be good.

It's like a spicy sort of sauce stuff with Chicken (or other type of meat, however i guess you can have a veg option?), very good with some beer to wash it down (it calms the fire in the mouth).
That's one way to put it. :p

Ah, ok. I've heard of curry before then. I'm not a fan of Asian food in general, but curry might be good.
'Curry' covers such a wide range of dishes that you're bound to like some of them.

If it's hot, spicy dishes you're not a fan of, there's many cool curry varieties to start off with. I would recommend a nice creamy korma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korma).

That's one way to put it. :p


'Curry' covers such a wide range of dishes that you're bound to like some of them.

If it's hot, spicy dishes you're not a fan of, there's many cool curry varieties to start off with. I would recommend korma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korma).

I like spicy food. I'm just not a fan of fish, rice, seafood in general, which to my limited knowledge of Asian foods, narrows it down quite a bit.

I like spicy food. I'm just not a fan of fish, rice, seafood in general, which to my limited knowledge of Asian foods, narrows it down quite a bit.
You can use any sort of meat in a curry, seafood certainly not the norm, while vegetarian curries are the bomb; indeed, many Hindu and other Asian communities/cultures have been eating vegetarian curries, and vegetarian cuisine in general, for well over 2000 years.

Rice is one of the traditional accompaniment to curry, but you could also have it with pulses such as mung, red lentils and the like, or with naan, paratha poppadoms and other bread-esque things.

Oooh, my mouth's watering now!

You can use any sort of meat in a curry, seafood certainly not the norm, while vegetarian curries are the bomb; indeed, many Hindu and other Asian communities/cultures have been eating vegetarian curries, and vegetarian cuisine in general, for well over 2000 years.

Rice is one of the traditional accompaniment to curry, but you could also have it with pulses such as mung, red lentils and the like, or with naan, paratha poppadoms.

Oooh, my mouth's watering now!

Or potatoes.

Hahaha~ I'm a curry whore. I make it at least twice a month and then just live off the left overs X3

Personally, I find the curry sauce to be much easier than the curry powder. Less to think about.

1) cut veggies/meat
2) put it in a pot and cook it a little
3) 2 cups of water and bring to a boil
4) down to medium heat and simmer for 30 min
5) remove from heat, add sauce cubes + stir
6) let sit 10 minutes

Then its done. If you put the rice in the cooker just as you're starting to simmer the curry, the rice will be done at the same time.

I use Glico brand.

What the heck is curry, and why is it so popular?

well the answer to that question is the same few words; It's fuckin' lovely.

You can use any sort of meat in a curry, seafood certainly not the norm, while vegetarian curries are the bomb; indeed, many Hindu and other Asian communities/cultures have been eating vegetarian curries, and vegetarian cuisine in general, for well over 2000 years.

Rice is one of the traditional accompaniment to curry, but you could also have it with pulses such as mung, red lentils and the like, or with naan, paratha poppadoms and other bread-esque things.

Oooh, my mouth's watering now!


Heh mine too, thats it lamb curry for me when I get home. Man I was reared on curry, I love it, gotta have it at least once a week, and it is soooooooo easy to cook.:D

The big trick to making curry in the proper Indian style is that you start by putting spices/seasonings in oil.

Only later, once the sauce is going, do vegetables make their appearance.